Mail-bag catching and delivering device.



No. 769,268. PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. I 0. W. MURDOOK.

MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1903.

NO MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Mvanfoz wits amok i v mff PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

C. W. MURDOCK.

' MAILBAG CATOHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1903.

4 SHEETS MIEET 2.

N0 Map 7/ qvilfmeoow N0 MODEL.

0. W. MURDOOK.

PATENTED SEPT. e, 1904 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 I 55 5 mm W .r 42 i .l

qwm o (Ow/72 (LWinmqm i/ 1 PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

0. W. MURDOGK. MAIL BAG GATOHING ANDYDELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 2, 190 3 4 SHEETS SHEET 4- NO MODEL.

I Summkoz attouwigs g UNITED STATES) I Patented September 6, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MAIL-*BAG-CATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,268, dated September 6, 1904.

Application filed July 2, 1903. Serial No. 164,098. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. MURDOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing in Omaha, county of Douglas, State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mail-Bag Catching and Delivering Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in mailbag catching and delivering-devices, the

present improvements relating more especially, though not exclusively, to that class of devices wherein the moving part is carried by a support or casing adapted to form a closure for the door-openingof a railway mail-car. This type of apparatus is illustrated in my prior patent, No. 674:,978; but it will be understood that manyfeatures of the present invention are applicable to other types of apparatussuch, for instance, as form a permanent part of the car structure or are applied thereto independently of the door-opening closure, while the fixed, or part of the apparatus located on the permanent way, is adapted to cooperate with the movable part regardless of the particular manner of mounting the rangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figurel is an elevation of the outer side of a support or car-door having the moving part of the present apparatus thereon. Fig. 2 is a vertical section with the reversible catcherframe removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the upper part of the door looking downwardly. Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 looking at the opposite side of the door. Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 with the mechanism folded into the door, which forms a casing therefor. Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, but with the parts in position to take a pouch, the latter pouches.

' opening in the side of a car-body.

or casing may conveniently be'mounted upon being shown as entering the catcher. Fig. 7 is a detail of the connection between the leverarm and closure-plate. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of both the moving and fixed parts of the apparatus to illustrate the action in catching and delivering'pouches. Figs. 9'and 10 are details of the valve of the operating mechanism of the delivering mechanism and its trip-bar. Figs. 11 and 12 are elevations of the crane, showing the locking device in the position it assumes to retain or release the pouch. Fig. 13 is a detail top plan of the striker-bar with the crane-post in section.

Figs. 14 and 15 are details of one of the pouchretaining pins and catch. Fig. 16 is a detail perspective of one of the crane arms and pouch-holding mechanism. 1

Like figures of reference in the several views indicate the same parts.

As in other apparatus of this character, my present invention contemplates the employment of a fixed and a moving part, the fixed part being that portion adapted to be located .beside the track, independently movable as to its parts, but as a whole occupying a fixed position, while the moving part is adapted to be attached to a car and take from and deliver the pouches to the fixed part.

In designing the practical embodiment of my present invention it has been my object to provide an improved and protected'mechanism which may be readily attached to and removed from a carbody and when in position be successfully operated while the car-door opening is closed or practically closed, one movement serving to uncover an opening in the casing large enough to admit a mail-pouch and set in operative position the mechanism for catching the incoming and for delivering the outgoing pouches, provision being made for removing the entire mechanism out of the car-door opening without detaching it from car-body, thus leaving the opening unob, structed for the exchange of a number of With the aforesaid objects in view I mount the movable portion 'of the mechanism onand in a frame or casing, which casing may well constitute a door or closure for an Said frame foo tracks at top and bottom of the opening and be adapted to move longitudinally onsaid tracks, so as to open and close said opening, or it may be hinged in the car-door opening or otherwise applied as an independent attachment to any car having a side opening by means such as are ordinarily employed to secure doors in place. This casing 1 is provided in the upper portion with two openings, through one or the other of which it is designed to take the incoming mail-pouch, the opposite one remaining closed. The openings are closed by plates or panels 2, mounted on frames attached to shafts 3, journaled vertically at the sides of and on the inside of casing 1.. Itis desirable that the opening through which the incoming pouch passes and the distance to which the panel has to be swung to admit it be as small as practicable, and to permit of this limitation each closure-plate 2 is preferably in two sections, the inner, or one nearer center of casing and marked 2', being hinged to the other in such a manner as to allow it to swing inwardly and be fastened back against the center frame of the casing, thereby increasing the distance between the open and closed plates 2 at the point of entry. Attached to the outer face of the closure-plate frames are brace-bars 41, so designed as to have a flange or shoulder 4: at its outer edge, forming stops adapted to check against the casing when the plates are swung out, and thus limiting the opening movement. For practical purposes the plates 2 would not project outwardly sufficiently far to take the pouch from a crane located .a safe distance from the carbody, or if made wide enough to accomplish this the projecting plate would present so great a surface to the action of the wind as to make it exceedingly hard to close it when de sired and the casing and door opening would necessarily have to be made wider than practical. To form a sufficient projection and reducethe panels to the smallest practical width and also to permit of a quick and easy reversal of catcher, I place on the outer face of the plates 2 grooved holdfasts or sockets 5, designed to receive and hold secure removable extension-bars 6. These bars are preferably .T shape in section and are united at the outer ends by a plate 7, riveted or otherwise made fast to them to form an open frame. Plate 7 is designed to act also as a pusher-plate to impact the striker-bar of the crane and release the locking device of the pouch-holder, as will-be described hereinafter. The extension-bars are held in the sockets until such time as a change in direction of car, travel is made, when they are slipped out, reversed, and pushed into the grooves or sockets on the opposite panel or plate.

In order that the plates 2 may at all times be under. the control of the operator, a leverarm 9 engages therewith, preferably-through the medium of a guide-bar 8 on the inner faces of the plates. This bar is shown T shape in section; but any shape which will form a sliding connection between the lever-arm and plate will answer. Where it is T shape, the lever-arm embraces the same and is preferably provided with antifriction-rollers, as shown at 10 in Fig. 9.

Pivoted in the sides of the casing in position to swing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, is a lock-bar 12, which when turned down, as indicated in full lines, Figs. 2 and 3, engages hasps 13 and locks the casing in the dooropening, but when swung up, as shown in Fig. 5, lies within the thickness of the casing, when the latter maybe pushed to one side, as an ordinary door. The lever-arm 9, before referred to, is pivoted centrally on the lockbar and turns therewith, but is free to swing independently in a horizontal direction, so as to engage one or the other of the plates 2 and swing the plate and catcher out into operative position, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 6. Vr'hile the lock-bar and lever may be of any desired shape, they are preferably double-hook shape or bent approximately as shown, as this form allows the operator standing at the center of opening to get close to the casing, and the ends being bent inwardly allow room for the entering mail-pouch to fold over the lock-bar and to hang while the plates are closing over the opening. It is obvious that the -inner face of the plates 2 can be padded or made to take any shape that may prove to be desirable fordeflecting the pouch into the car, or the frame on which the plates are supported may serve to catch the incoming pouch, thus leaving an opening to the outer air when the weather is pleasant.

Below the plates 2 is a third plate or panel 16, preferably attached to a shaft 15, journaled on the inside of the casing. This plate covers an opening in the casing through which the outgoing pouches are ejected, for which purpose it can swing out and upwardly. The shaft 15 controls the discharge or delivery of the outgoing pouch, and it is preferably operated by an arm 17, to which a piston-rod 18 is connected, the said rod in turn being connected with a piston working in a cylinder 19, to which compressed air or steam may be supplied, as from the train-pipe system. The supply may be through a pipe 19 and the exhaust through a pipe 19, said pipes entering opposite ends of the cylinder and the exhaust extending into a convenient position for control by suitable valve mechanism. l/Vith the arrangement shown opening and exhaust will cause the advance of the piston and the operation of the shaft 15, and to controlthe exhaust the pipe 19 is provided with a valve 30, adapted to be held closed until moved by the tripper-bar 9", pivoted on the lever-arm 9 and at its free end projecting into the path of the incoming pouch, which latter thus causes the outgoing pouch to be;

and adapted to swing downinto the door-opening, thus assisting 1n holding the casing in position, aswell as a holder for the outgoing pouch. To positively eject the pouch when the piston is operated, an ejector 2O is.con

nected with the shaft 15 in such manner that it may be swung up, as indicated in dot ted lines, Fig. 2, to admit apouch andwhen swung down behind the pouch will be locked to turn with the shaft when the latter is turned, as before explained. The ejector is preferably made up of bars journaled onthe shaft 15,' and auxiliary bars 20, engaging ratchet-collars 15 on the shaft, serve to advance the ejector, but may be freed from the collars to permit the ejector to swing up. All of these parts fold into the casing, as shown in Fig. 5, when not in use, and'slots in the support or chute 22 permit the ejectorarms to swing down or to fold, as shown.

Glass panels 23, through which the operator can safely and comfortably view the track, crane, and points on outside of car,

are located in the upper portion of the edges of the casing.

in'the cranes at present in use is found in providing a locking device secure against the action of the'wind on the pouches as they hang on the crane, and in the apparatus which'is a part of my invention the locking device I use secures the pouch in position in any kind of weather until the arrival of the mail-car withthe catching device in operative position to take the pouch, when the lock on crane is automatically opened from the car and the pouch picked up without exerting any strain upon the suspending-rings of the pouches. This fixed portion of, the apparatus embodies a crane or post 25, carrying at the upper end an arm26, having pivoted to it a secondary wedgeshaped arm 27. A flexi- .a'second'aryarm 31'.

to the post by a hinge-joint 32, which per;

ble joint 29' connects it to thepost, and a weight 28 causes it to swing up out of the way when not in operation. Below the upper arm is another, 30. having pivoted to it This arm 30 is attached mits it to fall against the post when not in use. At the end of arms 26 and 30 there is placed abent slotted plate or guard 33, adapted to engage a pin 34, pivoted on the ends of the secondary arms 27 and 31. These pins are designed to take the rings onthe suspended pouch, and they are pivoted at34, so as to swing intoline with the passing mailcar. On each side of arms 26 and 30 are plates 40, designed tohold the secondary arms in position and prevent a side motionof the same when pouches are taken from crane or, when be turned out of its operative or looking position; but as the bar presents such a small under the pressure of wind on the pouch. J ournaled at 36 against the face of crane-post nearest the track is a vertical shaft 35,'t'he ends of which are provided with what may be termed wedge-shaped feet 37, adapted to intrude between the end of the secondary arms and the main arm of crane and serving to tilt the secondary arm and force the pin on the opposite end into the slot of the guard on the end of the principal arm, thereby preventing the pins from rotating on their pivots and forming a secure lock for the rings of the pouch. Near the center of the shaft 35 and attached at a right angle to it is a striker-bar 38, designed to rotate the shaft 35 when struck by the catcher on the car. After the pouchrings are placed over the pins the striker-bar is brought forward to a position at right an.- gles to the track,.forcing the feet on the ends of the shaft in under the wedge-shaped ends of the secondary'arms, which in turn forces the pins on the opposite end of arm into the guards, securely locking the pouch in place. To open the lock, the striker-bar must surface to the'action of the wind it is not affected thereby and the pouch is safe against being blown off of the crane; but as the 1 striker-bar in its locking position protrudes One of the greatest difficulties encountered into the path of the pusher-plate attached to the extension-bars of the catching device mounted on the mail-car it must be impacted by it as it passes the crane, and as it rotates under'the force of the blow it will carry the feet on ends of shaft from under the ends of the secondary arms, allowing the pins to disengage from the slot in guards and to revolve on'their pivot in the direction of the moving train, permitting the rings of the poucht'o slide off with practically no strain upon them. The pouch being released, the arms of the crane assume the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 12. It is obvious that the strikerbar can be impacted by the end of an ordi= nary catching-fork if a small plate 38, Fig. 4 11, is placed on the end of the bar, thus permitting the crane to be used in combination with practically any catcher.

At the foot of the crane is a box or receptacle to receive the outgoing pouches. It

usually has the ends and back closed and is built of boards, is oblong in shape, and extends the required distance on either side of the crane." The side toward the track is left open, with the exception of a detent 41, which is hinged inthe mouth'of the receptacle and directly in the path of the outgoing pouches, where it will receive the impact from and act as a check on them, besides serving to close the receptacle against the weather. It can be padded on the side receiving the impact. Just behind this 'detentit is designed to hang a flexible sack 42, preferably made of heavy rope-netting, though-it may be made of any material that will not hold water or snow and in which the pouches will rest secure off of the ground and out of the weather until called for.

In operation the rings of the incoming pouch are slipped over the pins 34, which are then forced into the guards 33 by bringing the striker-bar 38 to a position at a right angle to the track, thus rotating the shaft and forcing the feet 37 under the ends of arms 27 and 31, closing the jaws of the locking device over the rings of the pouch, and the lantern or other signal is placed on crane. On the mailcar, the extension-bars 6 having first been secured to the proper cover-plate 2, the casing carrying 'the catching and delivering devices folded up in it is pushed across the car-door opening, the lock-bar 12, carrying the leverarrn9, is lowered into the hasps 13 at each side of car-door opening, and the hopper-plate 22 swung down into the car-door opening, assisting to lock the easin g in operative position.

' After the outgoing mail-pouch has been closed the ejector auxiliary bars 20 are disengaged from the collars on shaft 15 and the ejector swung in and upward sufiiciently to allow the one or more pouches to be placed on plate 22. The-ejector is then forced down behind the pouches and locked in position, and on signal being given the operator takes a position behind the closed plate 2 out of the way of incoming pouches and the weather. After inspecting the crane ahead through the glass panel 23 he pulls one end of the lever-arm 9 inwardly. The clevised jaw of the opposite end swings toward and engages the guide-bar 8 and'pushes the plate 2, carrying with it the extension-bars 6 out into operative position, where it is held against further opening by the pull of the lever-arm, with the shoulders 4 on the brace-bars 4C contacting the edge of the casing. Arriving at the crane, the pusherplate 27 impacts the striker-bar 38, forcing it to rotate the shaft 35, carrying the feet 37 out from under the ends of the secondary arms 26 and 31 and allowing the pins 34 to disengage from guards 33, the jaws to open, and the pins 34 to swing into line with the moving mail-car, when the rings of the pouch will he slipped off of the pins and the pouch into the grasp of the catching device. The incoming pouch will be guided by the extension-bars toward the opening in the casing, where it will impact the extended end of the lever-arm 9, causing it to swing inward, pulling with it the coverplate and closing the opening. The inward movement of the pouch will be arrested by the lock-bar 12, over which the pouch vwill fold itself and remain hanging until released,

the bent end of this arm and bar furnishing room to accommodate it with the plate closed. The pouch on its inward flight will also impact the extended end of the tripper-bar 9, forcing it to fulcrum against and open the Valve at the top of the exhaust-pipe. This releases the air and causes the piston-rod 11 in the cylinder 19 to plunge downward, forcing the lever-arm 17 to rotate the shaft 15 with a quick movement, carrying the plate 16 out and upward and the ejector attached to same shaft behind the pouch forward, thus ejecting the pouches automatically and practically simultaneously with the impact of catcher-arm and incoming pouch. The discharged pouch strikes against the padded face of the detent L1, hung in the mouth of the receptacle located at base of crane, and passes into the sack 42, hung in the receptacle back of the detent. Should there from any cause be no pouch upon the crane, the catching device being attached to the lever-arm can be readily recovered by causing the inner end of lever-arm to be pushed against the casing. The outgoing pouches can be delivered by pulling the tripper-bar against and releasing the valve by hand, when the same operation as described above will take place, or if for a any reason the outgoing pouches after they have been deposited in the hopper should not be delivered delivery can be prevented by raising the tripper-bar out of its operative position, (which can be done very quickly by lifting the inner end 9 out of the hole in which it is journaled,) thereby preventing the tripper-bar from pressing against and opening the valve. It will be seen that while the delivering device is automatic it is not dependent on all of the parts being in working condition to be effective and that the action of the parts onthe mail-car are to the very last under the absolute control of the operator. On arrival at station where a number of pouches are to be exchanged the lock-bar, with the lever-arm, is swung up into the easing, the ejector pushed forward against the cover-plate 16, and the hopper-plate 22 is folded up into the casing. The whole mechanism is then in position to allow the casing carrying it to be pushed aside, exposing the entire car-door opening free from all obstructions.

To prepare the moving portion of the mechanism to operate when the car is moving in an opposite direction from that described, the cover-plate 2 nearest the front end of the mail-car is fastened in position, allowing the opposite plate to swing free, and the extension-bars are secured to this free plate, the

change being easily and quickly ellected.

Obviously the ejecting mechanism may be operated otherwise than by compressed air or steam, although the former is preferred, and it is further obvious that many of the features may be used in other combinations than that shown, and hence it is not desired to restrict the invention to the precise combination illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus of the character de- 'i'eaaes having a side opening, of a casing forming. a

closure for said opening and itself having an opening for the entrance of the pouch and a catcher for the pouch adapted to close saidopening in the casing; substantially as described. i

2. In an apparatus of' the character de scribed, the combination withthe car-body having a side opening, of a casing forming a closure for said opening and itself having an opening for the entry of the pouch and an outwardly-swinging frame-on the casing constituting a catcher and a closure for the opening in the casing; substantially as described. I 3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the car-body having a side opening, of a laterally-movable casing forming a closure for the opening, means for locking said closure against lateral movement and a catcher adapted to swing.

outwardly on said casing to receive the incoming pouch; substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the car-body having aside opening and the laterally-movable closure for said opening, of a lock pivoted on the closure and adapted to swinginto the opening to prevent lateral movement of the closure, a catcher mounted to swing outwardly on the closure and means for controlling the catcher mounted on theinner side of the closure; substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus such as described, the combination with the car-body having a side opening and the laterally-movable closure for said opening, of a locking bar adapted to swing into the opening to lock the closure;

an outwardly-swinging catcher on the closure and a controller for said catcher carried by the locking-bar; substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination with the car-body having the side opening, the closure for said'opening and itself having a pouch-opening and a. lock for holding the closure againstlateral movement, of plates hinged to the casing for closing the pouch-opening, a catcher extension connected Withsaid plates and a controller for the plates and-catcher extension located on the inner side of the casing; substantially as described." v i 7. In an apparatusof-the character-described, the combination with the casing hav-,

' ing the pouch-opening therein and plates hinged to the casing for closing said opening, of a catcher extension removably connected with the plates whereby it maybe reversed and a controller for the plates and extension mounted on the inner side of the casing; substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the casing having the pouch-openingtherein, of the plates hinged at opposite sides of said opening sockets connected. therewith and a catcher extension adapted to lit the sockets of either plate whereby the catcher may be reversed; substantially as described. 7 9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the casing having the pouch-opening therein, of the closure for said opening hinged at one side of the opening and having stops for limiting its outward swing, a catcher extension on the closure and the lever-arm engagingthe inner side of the closure for controlling the catcher; substantially as described.

10. Inan apparatus of the. eharacterdescribed, the. combination with the casing having the pouch-opening therein, of the closure for said opening hinged at one side of the opening and having stops for limiting its outward swing and. adapted to forma receiverfor the incoming pouch, a lever-arm cooperating with the inner. side. ofthe closure and lying in the path of theincoming pouch, and adapted to close the closure when struck and moved by the incoming pouch; substantially as described.

11. In a mail-bag catcher, the combination with the catcher hinged to swing outwardly, of a pivoted lever-arm having a sliding connection with the catcher and lying in the path of the incoming pouch and adapted .to close the catcher when struck and moved by the pouch; substantially as, described. 12. In a mail-bag catcher, the combination with the catcher hinged toswing outwardly, of a lever-arm pivotedon a center forward of the center on which the catcher hinges and a sliding connection between the end of 'the lever-arm and catcher whereby the lever-arm will lie-in the path of the incoming pouch and be moved by said pouch to close the catcher; substantially as described.

. 13. In an equipment for the moving part of a railway mail-handling mechanism, the combination with oppositely-arranged frameshinged on vertical axes to swing outwardly, of a lever-arm separably connected with said frames whereby either frame may be operated by said lever-arm independentlyof the other; substantially as described.

14:. In an equipment for the moving part of a railway mail-handling mechanism, the combination with oppositely-arranged frames hinged on vertical axes to swing outwardly and having guideways on their inner sides,

of a pivoted lever-arm having projections at opposite ends engaging said guideways to open or close the frames independently; substantially as described. I ,5

.15. In a railway mail-car equipment, the combinationwith the car having asideopening and frames hinged to. swing .outwardly from opposite sides of said opening, of a reversible. extension catcher-frame with means for detachably securing the same on either of IIO said frames and means within the car for l the combination with the structure havingan controlling the swinging movements of the I frames; substantially as described.

.16. In a railway mail-car equipment, the combination with the car having aside opening, a casing movable laterally on ways to close said opening and itself having an opening for the incoming pouches and a catcher on the casing, of a lock-bar pivotally mounted on the casing on a horizontal axis to swing down into the side opening and having an inwardly-bent portion against which the pouches are received, a lever-arm pivoted on the lockbar on an axis at right angles to the axis of the bar and having its end curved to receive the pouch and means for detachably connecting the end of the lever-arm and catcher;

. substantially as described.

17. In a catching and delivering mechanism for mail-pouches, the combination with the catcher for the incoming and the holder for the outgoing pouches, of an ejector mechanism for the outgoing pouch embodying a power-cylinder, a valve controlling the flow of pressure in the cylinder and a tripper for the valve lying in the path of the incoming pouch: substantially as described.

18. In a catching and delivering mechanism for mail-pouches, the combination with the catcher for the incoming and the holder for the outgoing pouches, of an ejector mechanism for the outgoing pouch embodying a power-cylinder, a valve controlling the flow of pressure in the cylinder located in proximity to the controlling mechanism of the catcher; substantially as described.

19. In a catching and delivering mechanism for mail-pouches the combination with the structure having openings for the passage of the incoming and outgoing pouches, of closures for said openings an ejector mechanism connected with the closure for the outgoingpouch opening and a catcher mechanism conthe combination with the structure having an opening for the pouch, a closure for said opening and an inclined support for the pouch, of a shaft, mechanism for oscillating the shaft and arms adjustably connected with the shaft for ejecting the pouch; substantially as described.

22. In a mail-pouch-delivering apparatus,

opening for the pouch, a closure for the opening and an oscillatory shaft to which the clo-- openings therein for the incoming and outgo-- ing pouches of closures for said openings forming the outer side of the casing and catching and e ecting mechanism mounted on and adapted to fold within said casing to permit the latter to move laterally to permit access to the car through the side opening; substantially as described.

24. In a mail-pouell-delivering mechanism, the combination with the car having a side opening and laterally-movable casing forming a closure for said opening and itself having an opening for the passage of outgoing pouches, of a hopper-bottom hinged in said casing and adapted to turn down into the car-opening to hold the pouches and prevent lateral movement of the casing; substantially as described.

25. In a mail-pouch-eatching apparatus the combination with the catcher on the car having a striker at the end, of a crane, arms, pouch-retainers on said arms, a lock for said retainers a striker-arm controlling the lock and projecting into the path of the striker on the catcher; substantially as described.

26. In a mail-pouch-catching apparatus, the combination with the moving part embodying a catcher and striker, of a fixed part embodying a crane having movable arms, pouch-retainers movably mounted on the arms, a lock for the retainers embodying a shaft having projections thereon and a strikr arm with which the striker on the moving part contacts to release the pouch-retainers; substantially as described.

27 A lixed part of a mail-pouch-catching apparatus embodying a crane, movable arms on the crane, secondary arms on said movable arms and adapted to retain the pouch, a shaft journaled on the crane and having feet for holding the secondary arms in position to retain a pouch and a striker-arm adapted to lie in the path of the movable part of the apparatus when a pouch is in position to be caught; substantially as described.

28. The combination with the crane and arms pivoted thereon, of the secondary arms pivoted on the main arms to swing vertically, the laterally-swinging pins on the secondary arms and the slotted guard-plates for the reception of the pins; substantially as described.

29. The combination with the crane, arms pivoted thereon and secondary arms pivoted on the main arms to swing vertically and adapted tohold the pouch,' of the side plates for preventing lateral swing of the secondary arms; substantially as described.

30. The combination With the crane; catcher and delivering mechanism, of the boX or houshicle having a striker, of a bag support, a

lock for the bag, a striker-arm controlling the lock and adapted toibe struck by the striker on the catcher, the contacting surfaces of said striker and striker-arm being elongated at right anglesto each other, whereby contact between them is insured; substantially as described.

CHARLES W. MURDOCK. Witnesses:

L A. WELSH, U. D. REED. 

